Another way if you cannot find their number is putting a note/letter in their maibox stating your intent, telling them you would have called but could not find the number and leave them your number to call if they would like to talk about you riding their land.

I rode on the right of way down our rode and got told to stay off the property. Another time, we thought we were still riding my friends prioperty, we came out on an unbuilt lot and the guy a fwew acres down told us to please nto ride on his land, and that's what the signs are for. Never saw a sign...

I don't ride my horse onto their property to ask. Clean yourself up, put on some decent clothes (not dressy, but clean and well fitting) and drive your car down to ask if it's ok.

Tell them who wants to ride, your best bet is just yourself, most landowners don't want randoms coming on their property. At first ask for a specific date/time, you have a much better chance of a onetime yes than a blanket yes. At least at first, after the landowner gets to know you a little better they may just offer for you to ride whenever you'd like.

To up your chances of getting free rein to ride whenever you'd like be respectful of their property. Don't ask to ride when it's wet, clean up after yourself and your horse (yes this includes manure if its on a yard or driveway), be SAFE (landowners worry about liability a lot), if they have small children offer a pony ride. Basically be nice, respectful, and develop a relationship with them.

ITA -- or, in our case, get to know the ONE neighbor who knows everyone else and already has done all this, invites you join HIS riding group and then introduces you to these people and facilitates the extension of such permissions. Treat their property as you would want a "guest" to treat your's and you are more likely to be well -received/allowed back. Many of the people who allow our group (we don't always ride in one group - just using that to refer to the overall members of our bunch who often ride in ones or twos and sometimes as a whole group) actually appreciate having extra eyes and ears on their property who can report things that are amiss (ie broken fences, noticing activity from those NOT supposed to be there, etc).
If you aren't sure who owns a particular piece of property (very common where we are at because many of the larger farming families own parcels scattered about), try talking with your neighbors, etc to figure out just who it is so that you can contact them.

8 years ago and the first time we were riding along the river on our own property, we crossed a creek onto forest service and carried on. Came upon a field with no fencing... and 20 or more horses including a notoriously dangerous stud! Thankfully I was on my enormous giant of a QH, this gave the stud a moment to think as we blocked the way to my husband on his "in" mare! I've never seen him ride so hard and fast!! I kept the horses at bay so he could get to the gate, which for some odd reason wasn't locked. I told him to give her hell, or else he was going to get mounted! Hee hee!!
We are now dear friends with the 89 yr. Old owner, he's even given us a few of his nice colts. Come to find out he owns most of the private property in the area (90% of our county is NFS).
We have full use of his property including fishing in his ponds, all he asks is to be able to visit us and come tell old yarns on our porch! He refuses to come in, won't let me feed him, and he calls us when he needs extra help. We helped him put up new fence, a flood had taken his out in that pasture, hence the stud story. I think he owns around 1,500 acres. He is known in the valley for chasing people off his properties with a shotgun, thankfully he's a good friend! Hopefully you can make some good friends out of your neighbors, if they are older make sure you get the area history! Some of the stories we've heard were shocking and very informative!

You can't see neighbors where I ride. Everyone is on huge acreage and their homes are down dirt roads off the main one, or at least its true for this property. The ones you can see the homes arent the appealing one to ride on ;)

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